Amusement vehicle



C. L. JOHNSON.

AMUSEMENT VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17. 1919.

1,409,3 1, Patented Mar. 14,1922;

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

51 vwe ntoz Guam;

C.L.JOHNSON. AMUSEMENT VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 171 -i91 9. 1,409,381. Patented Man 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED. STATES- CHARLEY L. JOHNSON, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. I i

PATENT orricaf AMUSEMENT VEHICLE. f

Application filed December 17, 1919. Serial No. 345,621.

To all whom it may concern: 7 I

Be it known thatvI, GHARLEY L. JOHNSON,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Seattle, county of King, and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

vMy invention relates to amusement devices, and more particularly to improvements in amusement vehicles of a character that are adapted to bedrawn entrain over streets or boulevardsor which are likewise adapted to be coupled together and operated in merry-go-round formation; the said vehicles to be provided with seats whereon people may ride orto have mounts of-various kinds such asthe wooden horsesand other anim'als commonin merryego-rounds and which are operated by driving connec tions with "the 'ground wheels to produce a.

gallopingor other desired motion.

The principal objectof the invention is to provide vehiclesof the character described,

so constructed that they will require no special track to run upon, which may be connected and drawn entrain under the-control of a single driver, which may, easily be formed and connected operatively in merrygo-round formation and -which comprise certain features whereby, when in thelatter formation, the outer sides of the vehicles may be raised sufiiciently'to tilt the vehicle bodies so .tha-t'jthey will maintain their ballance while traveling rapidly in a 51112110111318;

In accomplishing the objects of the invention, I have provided the, improved details of. construction, the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-e. I

1 isa Side i w of pluralityof amusementvehicles constructed according to the present invention, as drawn entrain; V

Fig; 2 is 'aplan View of-a plurality of vehicles connected entrain inQmerry-go-round' the vehicle.

wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, 1, 1', 1', etc., designate similarly constructed vehicles of a four wheeled type which may be connected together in numbers convenient to permit operation without difficulty and which may be drawn bya power propelledyehicleof a type similar to thel ordinary automobile truck, as is indicated:

. These: veh cles may comprise various "Specification of Remnant. Patented Mar. 14., 1922;.

forms of; construction in order to add m i riety and to attract attention to,the same; it. being the intention not to limit" the'vehiclesmto anyparticular' design 1 either' in body formation or in decoratiom; so long as they do notldepart from th e spirit of the invention or prevent the objectsof the invention to,be accomplished. 3 U

The typeof vehicle, most preferred com prises'a horizontal platform 3, supported upon'springsf l, as shown, at its forward and rearward ends which are fixedly mounted upon. axles .5 and 6 at the opposite ends of necessarily have pneumatic tires thereon to add to the comfort of riding on the vehicle.

The front wheels of-the vehicle are steer-f ably mounted in a manner similar to that in; which the front wheels of automobiles are mounted, and. are held in parallel relationlby means of a cross rod lO that Connects to the steering knuckles 11.

Pivo'tally fixed to the:cente Qffthe front axle, and to the cross" rod" 10. is a t'ongue 12 whereby the vehicle is tojbe drawn; the.

The axles are-equipped with. ground wheels 7 which preferably, but not;

tongues ofeachj vehicle" being, provided at v their ends with hooks 13' adapted to enter 1 anyone of-a series of apertures'lt'in draft; bars 15 fixed to the under sides and at the rearward ends-of the platforms-of all the.

vehicles.

Upon some of-the vehicles Ifliare pi id ed seats 18 and upon othersI have provided: mounts 20 in the form of wooden horses as are usually found on merry-'go-rounds. These horses are supported upon posts 21,

vertically slidable in bearings] 22 mounted 7 upon the platforms and connected at their lower ends through links 21' with crank shafts 23. The crank shafts arerevolublvmounted at their ends in bearings 24 fixed to the" under side of the'platforms and are' driven by means of shafts 25 which are 0peratively connected through worm .gearsas shown at 26 and 27 from the vehicles rear 7 axle; the axle being driven by fixing one of the wheels thereto.

The forward set of horses are actuated Interposed between the supporting springs and the vehicleplatforms are the platform adjusting jacks. These jacks consist of vertically disposed shafts 35 that are threaded through bearing blocks 36 mounted upon the springs and at their ends are pivotally fixed to the platforms. At their lower ends the shafts are provided with wrench heads 37 whereby they may be turned to be adjusted in the bearings to raise or lower one side of the platform so that when traveling in a circle at a fast rate the vehicles will maintain their'balance'.

. When-the vehicles are assembled in merrygo-round formation, they may be connected to a fixed center post 40 as shown in Fig. 2 by means of radially extending rods 41 which at their inner ends are fastened toa collar 43 revoluble on the post and at their outer ends are attached to the vehicle platforms,

so that there will be no danger of the vehicles upsetting or leaving their course.

It is apparent that vehicles of this character will not be confined to any special route but are adapted to travel over streets and boulevards or assembled in circularformation as described and in either case to be driven by a single power controlled vehicle which may be coupled entrain with the others.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. An amusement device comprising a plurality of wheeled vehicles coupled circularly entrain, each vehicle having a tongue at its forward end whereby its front wheels are steered, and having. a draft bar fixed transversely to its rearward'end; said tongue having a hook at its forwardend and said bar having apertures at spaced intervals longitudinally thereof to receive the hook of the following vehicletongue selectively according: to the radius of the circle in which the vehicles operates V 2. An amusement vehicle of the character described comprising running gears, springs mounted onsaid gears, aseat ormount supportingplatform supported by said springs,

adjustable members interposed betweenthe springs and platform to effect tilting of the same to one side or the other, a tongue at the forward end of the vehicle for drawing the same, means operable by movement of the tongue to steer the vehicle, and a coupling bar at the rear of the platform for the attachment thereto of the tongue of a similar vehicle drawn entrain.

' 3. An amusement vehicle adapted to be coupled entrain with similar .vehicles com prising a mount supporting platform, axles for supporting the platform and ground wheels at the ends of said aXl es, crank shafts mounted on theplatform, means for driving the said shafts from said axles, mounts operated by said crank shafts and means for adjust'ably tilting the platform, for the pur-.

pose set forth.

t. An amusement device comprising a plu rality of wheeled vehicles adapted to be 0perated entrain about a central fixed post, means for connecting each vehicle with the vehicle forwardly thereof and means operatively connected with said connecting means for steering the vehicle in the path of the preceding vehicle, and connecting rods ex tending radially fro'msaid post to said vehicles to maintain the position of the train about the post.

5Q Anamusement device comprising a plu-' rality of wheeled vehicles adapted to been erated circularly entrain, each vehicle comprising running gears, a mount. supporting platform, a tongue whereby it may be drawn and steeredby connection with the preceding vehicle, and means interposed between the running gears and platforms whereby the latter may be adjustably inclined toward the center of the circle accordingly as is required for operation incircles' ofldilferent sizes and at different speeds,

6. An amusement devicefcomprising a plurality of wheeled've'liicles adapted to be op-r erated entrain about a central fixed post, means for connecting each vehicle with the vehicle forwardly thereof and means opera tively connectedwith said connecting means for steering the vehiclein the path 'of the preceding vehicle, means for ad1u'stably' tiltingthe vehiclebodies inwardly'to maintain theirbalan'ce while moving, a collar revolriblelon said post, rods extending from said collarto said vehicles to maintain them about the post, and means in one of said vehicles for propelling the train.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this25tli day of November, 19 19.

GHARLEY L. JOHNSON. I V 

